Effective immediately, John Medlen, formerly of John Force Racing, has joined Don Schumacher Racing, and will be co-crew chief, with Tommy DeLago, on the DieHard Dodge Charger Funny Car driven by Matt Hagan in the 2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
A former race car and race boat driver, Medlen is best known as a designer, fabricator, and tuner. In the mid-1980s, he designed and built clutch systems and later developed one of the first multi-lever clutch systems and a fuel volume control device. As a crew chief, he claimed the 2003 Funny Car crown with Tony Pedregon and has scored 42 NHRA national event victories in both Top Fuel and Funny Car, winning six times in three full seasons with his late son Eric.
"John brings a tremendous depth of experience and knowledge to DSR in many areas of Funny Car competition and development," said team owner Don Schumacher, "and we're privileged to have him on board. We're confident that his contribution to the team and Tommy DeLago's ability to tune a very fast race car will be very beneficial to the performance of the DieHard Dodge Funny Car."
"It's a grand opportunity for me to join DSR," said Medlen. "Don Schumacher is an aggressive marketer. I've always admired the job he's done at running his teams and conducting the business of drag racing in a professional and business-like manner. And, in a very difficult economy, his operation continues to grow.
"The DieHard Dodge Funny Car team is a very successful and well-managed team, and Tommy and I are both looking forward to working together. We both feel that two heads are better than one, and maybe some of the past experience I've had will fit in with the program."
